Something fairly incredible happened to Demetrious Johnson after he became a UFC champion this past September.

And that something, he says, was nothing, really. Nothing really changed. He had a fairly significant carry-on item to get through customs on the way back to Washington from UFC 152 in Toronto, of course – the UFC’s first flyweight belt.

But other than that, Johnson’s life didn’t instantly transform. He didn’t suddenly get a swollen champion-sized head. He didn’t presume he was the best of the best with nothing more to gain and pack an attitude in his bag before heading to the gym.

As far as Johnson is concerned, he’s basically the same guy who not that long ago was still working 40 hours a week in a warehouse for a construction company. And that’s how he’d like to keep it, however long he holds the title.

Johnson (16-2-1 MMA, 4-1-1 UFC) on Saturday defends his flyweight championship for the first time when he meets top contender John Dodson (14-5 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the main event of UFC on FOX 6, which takes place at United Center in Chicago. The four-fight main card airs on FOX at 8 p.m. ET following prelims on FX and Facebook.

While visiting Chicago for the first time this past November, “Mighty Mouse” told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that he wanted to be just a regular Joe – or regular “D.J.” – prior to his flyweight title fight in September against Joseph Benavidez, and that’s how he wants to be as champion.

“I’m still cleaning out the litter box, still making breakfast every morning, still washing the dishes and folding my underwear,” Johnson said. “Even before I went into the fight against Joseph, I thought about it and knew two things were going to happen: ‘I’m going to win, or lose. The one thing that’s not going to change after this fight, regardless if I win or lose, is I’m going to go home and train and keep getting better.’ Same thing’s going to happen after this fight if I win or lose. I’m going to go home, and the litter box is still going to need to be cleaned, dishes are going to need to be washed and I’m still going to be training.”

Johnson’s fight with Benavidez wasn’t his first title rodeo. Less than a year prior, while at bantamweight, he had a fun little five-round scrap with champion Dominick Cruz for the 135-pound title. But after that loss, with the advent of the flyweight division in the UFC, Johnson set his sights on becoming a champion at 125.

Johnson didn’t let the loss to Cruz become a negative for him. Far from it. It just served as motivation to keep working.

“Coming off that loss to Dominick Cruz, it was a good learning experience,” he said. “Dominick Cruz is a great champion, and that’s when I obviously started training full-time. Previous to that, I was working 40 hours a week at my construction job. But I’ve got the belt at 125 (now), and I keep on learning and training.”

When it comes to that training, Johnson believes Dodson, the Season 14 bantamweight winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” who dropped down to his natural flyweight division at the first possible moment, presents challenges to him in the standup game come Saturday night.

Dodson has won five straight, including two knockouts in his past three fights. So he has power – if he can get his hands on Johnson, who is known for his quickness.

“Obviously, he’s knocked people out,” Johnson said. “I feel every opponent is dangerous, but I would assume on the feet (he’s most dangerous). He’s quick, too. But it’s just like with Joseph. He’s rocked people, he’s submitted people, and I just do what I do – and that’s just fight.”

That seems to be Johnson’s secret to success so far. Just train. Just fight. And just winning has come along with it.

But there’s one more “just” he might care about more than anything else.

“I don’t want people to like me because I’m the flyweight champion,” he said. “I want people to like me because I’m just a down-to-earth guy. I know I’m not going to be champion forever. When I’m 36 years old, I’m sure there’s going to be some young buck who’s 6-(foot)-1, and he’ll come in and just work me and everyone will say, ‘You suck!’

“I’m just a down-to-earth guy. Fighting’s just my craft – and I seem to be good at it.”